Coin sorter



Nov; 8, 1949 l... T. MlcoNl COIN SORTER 2 sheets-sheet `1 Filed April 4, 1947 Q52..1.221222....52th@ INVENTOR. y az'r? J- BY l v I [/{JVTTORNEYS L. T. MlCONl Nov. 8, 1949 COIN SORTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 4, 1947 R o T N E v m BY' ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 8, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE COIN SORTER Leonard T. Miconi, Reading, Pa.

Application April 4, 1947, Serial No. 739,427

Claims.

The present invention relates to a coin sorting device.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a simple and eflicient apparatus for sorting coins of various denominations, which is operated by gravity to eliminate all moving parts.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a coin sorting apparatus adapted to sort a large number of coins of different denominations at one time.

Another object is to provide a coin sorting de- Vice which comprises a multiple coin trackway, with each trackway having coin rejecting means to insure against coins of one denomination mixing with coins of another denomination.

It is the broad concept of the present invention to provide a coin sorting apparatus comprising a coin slide in the coin pathway with a V- shaped coin trackway, with said coin trackway vhaving slots of progressively increasing dimensions adapted to receive coins of various denominations.

Other and further objects and advantages of :the present invention will be apparent from the 3--3 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows,

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows,

, Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 1 in the direction of the arrows, and

YFigure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line l 6-6 of Figure 2 in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I0 generally represents the coin sorting device comprising a metallic frame, which is preferably rec'- tangular in shape, and may be constructed of yany desired material, such as metal or plastic.

The coin sorting device includes a coin slide apparatus generally indicated by the numeral II and comprising a coin slide I2 fastened within an arcuate member I3 which is provide at the lower portion thereof with a raised W-shaped portion I4. The coin 'slide assembly Il is secured to a coin trackway assembly comprising two V-shaped coin trackways I 6 and I1, by means of a removable screw I8 and a nut I9.

It is to be understood that one, two or any number of V-shaped coin trackways with an appropriate coin slide assembly may be employed. It is also to be understood that the coin slide assembly I I may be constructed integral with the coin trackway assembly wherein the side walls of the coin slide or coin feeder assembly merge with the outer side Walls of the V-shaped trackway or trackways.

The coin slide I2 is positioned at an angle from the horizontal so that coins disposed thereon will slide downwardly under the inuence of gravity, against the arcuate member I3, which is likewise disposed at an angle from the horizontal, to propel coins downwardly therefrom. As the coins leave the coin slide I2 they contact the inner wall of the arcuate member I3 and slide downwardly into either one side or the other of the W-shaped coin portion hi, to continue into the V-shaped coin trackway I 6 or into the V- shaped coin trackway I'I.

The V-shaped coin trackway I6 is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed coin rejection slots 20 and 2l on opposite sides of the coin pathway Ilia, with the result that only one coin can pass the area of the coin rejection slots 20 and 2| at any one time. It is to be noted that the diameter of the coin pathway Ita is such, at the area of the coin rejection slots 28 and 2l, that no two coins, one superimposed on the other, can roll by said coin rejection slots. Consequently, the coin rejection slots 2D and 2| provide a simple means of keeping the coins separated as they roll down the trackway I t. The apex of each .V-shaped coin trackway It and I TI respectively,

is so constructed that coins rolling onto the coin pathways Ilia and Ila fall either to one side or the other against a side Wall of the V-shaped trackway.

als 22, 23, 24 and 25 respectively. In addition,

there is a coin slot 26 at the end of the coin pathway 16a.

As pointed out, the coin slots 22, 23, 24 and 25 are preferably of rectangular shape and of increasingly larger dimensions. Coin slots 22 have dimensions such that a ten cent piece will fall therethrough, while the larger coins will continue downwardly on the coin pathway l 6a. Coin slots 23 have a dimension to accommodate a one cent piece, while slots 2li and 25 are adapted to receive ve cent pieces and quarters respectively which roll down the coin pathway i611. The slot 26 disposed at the lower end portion of the coin pathway |611, is adapted to receive ftyicent pieces.

The coin trackway l1 is similar in construction to the coin trackway i6 and .isprovided with a coin pathway lla, rejection slots 21 and 28, and a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposedispacedapart coin slots 29, 30, 3| and 32, with a fifty 'cent coin slot 33 'at .thezbottom of the-coin path- 'way `lila.

The coin `sorting device l is `provided with a utility cabinet S whichewings on hinges 35,1and may be locked into place by rotatable lug 36. There'is provided a handle v3l secured to the door 'of theLcabinet 315.

A slidable drawer 38 is secured beneath the coin rejection slots 2B and 2l and 21 and 2B, to receive any coins that fail through these coin rejection slots. As the drawer 38 lls with rejected coins, it can be withdrawn and the coin -content thereof can'be again disposed on the coin slideway rl 2.

Beneath each of the pairs of coin apertures .Z2- 29, 23-38, 2li- 3i and 2'5-32, there is clis- `poseda drawer .indicated respectively by the numerals k353, 40, 4I and 42, with each of the said Adrawers .provided with an appropriate handle.

Likewise, a drawer 43 is secured beneath the coin `slots -26--33.

A handle 44 is secured to the front end of the coin sorting apparatus `while a handle 45 Ais secured to the rear wall thereof, so that the coin sorting apparatus may be easily lifted and car- ,l

.ried from place to place.

In operation, coins of various denominations are disposed on the coin slide l2 and slide .downwardly therefrom under the influence of gravity.

vThe coins hit the arcuate member I3 where they reverse their direction of travel and are propelled downwardly under the iniiuence of lgravity into either the il-shaped coin trackway I6 or the V- shaped coin Vtrackway Il. It should be noted that with apiurality of V-shaped cointrackways that a greater number of coins of various denominations can be handled at one time.

As the coins roll into the V-shaped coin trackways l and l?, they hug either one side wall or the other of said coin trackways. Should one coin be superimposed on the other as they roll downwardly along the coin trackways, the superimposed coin will f-all into one of the coin rejection slots, as the coin pathway at the area of the coin rejection slots is of such a diameter that only one coin canpass at one time. The superimposed coin must fall into one or the other of the coin rejection slots.

After passing the area of the coin rejection slots, the coins will fall into the appropriate coin slot depending upon the particular denomination of the-coin.

Various modifications of the present invention will `be apparent to .those skilledin the lart without departing 'from the scope thereof and it 'is 4 therefore desired to be limited only to the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

1. A gravity operated coin sorting device comprising, a -coin slide, a plurality of V-shaped coin traciaways in the coin pathway leading from said coin slide, each of said V-shaped coin trackways being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed coin rejecting slots one slot in each side wail thereof, each of said slots being positioned at a distance slightly less than the thickness of the thinnest coin from the apex of the V-shaped coin tr-a-ckway to prevent two rolling coins one resting against the other from together passing any one of said slots at the same time without 'one of said rolling coins falling through one of said rejectingslots, said coin rejecting slots being followed by a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed -spaced-apart -apertures of progressively larger dimensions extending -along each of said coin -traclrways 'to receive coins of different `denominations rolling down said coin trackways, each of vsaidcoin trackwaysbeing provided with a `slot at the bottom portion thereof to receive coins which pass the said spaced-apart apertures, and receptacles to receive the sorted coins.

2. A 'gravity operated coin sorting device comprising, a coin slide, a plurality of V-shapedcoin trackways in the coin pathway leading fromsaid coin slide, each of said V-shaped coin trackways being provided with a pair of oppositely `disposed coin rejecting slots one slot in each side wall thereof, each of said slots being positioned at a distance slightly less than the thickness of the thinnest coin from the apex of the V-shaped coin trackway to prevent two rolling coins one resting against the other from together passing 'any one of said slots at the same time without one of said rolling coins falling through one of said rejecting slots, said rejecting slots being ffollowed by a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart apertures of progressively larger dimensions extending along each of said coin trackways to receive coins of different denominations rolling down said coin trackways, and receptacles to receive the sorted coins.

3. A gravity operated lcoin sorting device comprising, a coin slide, a V-shaped coin trackway in the coin pathway leading from said coin slide, saidV-shaped coin trackway being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed coin rejecting slots one slot in each side wall thereof, each of said slots being positioned at a distance slightly less than the thickness of the thinnest coin from the apex'of the V-shaped coin trackway to prevent two rolling coins one resting against the other from together passing any one of said slots at the same time without one of said rolling coins falling through one of said rejecting slots,

said coin rejecting slots being followed by a plurality of pairs of oppositely disposed spaced-apart apertures of progressively larger dimensions extending along said coin trackway to receive coins of different denominations rolling down said coin trackway, and a receptacle beneath each of said pairs of apertures to receive coins .falling therethrough.

4. A gravity operated coin sorting device comprising, a V-shaped coin trackway provided `with a pair of oppositely disposed coin rejecting slots one slot .in each side wall thereof, each of said slots being so positioned `with respect to the apex of the Vi/-shaped cointrackway .as 4to prevent two rolling coins oneresting against the other Vfrom together passing any one of said slots at the same time without one of said rolling coins falling through one of said rejecting slots, and said rejecting slots being followed by a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart apertures of progressively larger dimensions extending along said coin trackway to receive coins of different denominations rolling down said coin trackway.

5. A gravity operated coin sorting device comprising, a coin slide, a V-shaped coin trackway in the coin pathway leading from said coin slide, said V-shaped coin trackway being provided with a pair of oppositely disposed coin rejecting slots one slot in each side thereof, each of said slots being so positioned with respect to the apex of the V-shaped ycoin trackway as to prevent two rolling coins one resting against the other from together passing :any one of said slots at the same time without one of said rolling coins falling through one of said rejecting slots, said coin rejecting slots, being followed by a plurality of pairs of spaced-apart oppositely disposed apertures of LEONARD T. NEICONI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this partent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 975,458 Rees Nov. 15, 1910 1,037,568 Westfelt Sept. 3, 1912 20 2,141,950 Colburn et :al Dec. 2'7, 1938 

